Proper now, it looks like the most popular scripted exhibits on the market are hailing from the Canadian ice. If Heated Rivalry put ice hockey within the highlight like by no means earlier than, Discovering Her Edge is doing the identical for determine skating.
Since launching late January forward of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Video games, the collection has develop into a high three worldwide Netflix TV title, spawning an identical sort of wild social media fandom that has turned Heated Rivalry into a world sensation. Earlier this month, Netflix mentioned it had made the highest ten in 81 nations and garnered over 12 millioln views.
The story follows Adriana Russo (Madelyn Keys), a aggressive ice skater from a crumbling household dynasty. She has a budding romance with new on-ice accomplice Brayden (Cale Ambrozic), and an advanced relationship with former ice accomplice – and ex-boyfriend – Freddie (Olly Atkins), who now competes alongside Riley (Millie Davis). Loosely based mostly on Jane Austen novel ‘Persuasion’ by way of Jennifer Iacopelli’s YA e book ‘Discovering Her Edge’, which follows an identical story arc. Which means it’s additionally about Adriana’s relationships together with her sisters, Elise and Maria, and their father, Will (Harmon Walsh), and the lengths she’ll go to maintain the financially struggling Russo rink afloat.
It was no surprise {that a} second season was introduced earlier this month, with viewers getting extra alternatives to don their Workforce Braden or Workforce Freddy caps sooner or later. When Deadline speaks to Jeff Norton, Discovering Her Edge‘s creator and showrunner, he’s donning a Workforce Russo cap, which he jokes is “the one bit merch “out there” for the present – maybe an indicator of the surprising nature of the hit.
Norton is a famous government producer out of Canada with credit for the likes of Netflix’s Geek Lady, British horror drama The Small Hand: A Ghost Story for Paramount’s 5 and Nelvana youngsters collection Trucktown, however Discovering Her Edge marks the primary time he has been end-to-end showrunner on a collection.
Olly Atkins as Freddie O’Connell and Madelyn Keys as Adriana Russo
Netflix
He and Shelley Scarrow had initially developed the present for WildBrain‘s speciality Canadian community Household Channel, which greenlit the venture in fall 2024, with Netflix onboard because the worldwide streaming accomplice. Nonetheless, in August 2025, Household Channel was closed as WildBrain exited the published enterprise.
With WildBrain remaining as producer, Netflix jumped in so as to add the home English-language Canadian rights (French-Canadian rights have been with CBC-Radio Canada) – giving the worldwide streamer a determine skating drama that will drop simply weeks earlier than the Winter Olympics.
“I used to be at all times assured the present would discover a Canadian residence,” says Norton of that interval. “That partnership with Netflix labored very properly as a result of we knew we had the monetary heft to make a present at a price range degree that will be applicable, however was additionally organically Canadian. It was that chance for a Canadian present to go world on day one. That’s the factor that the Netflix platform gives.”
Typically with Netflix, the most effective indicator a present has damaged out is an early recommission, and Discovering Her Edge landed one lower than two weeks after launch.
“Netflix have been delighted by the numbers,” says Norton. “It was quantity three globally in English-language tv, however the greatest factor is how a lot social engagement there’s on thew present. This has discovered a fanbase in a short time and individuals are actually invested within the present and characters. Folks on-line are extremely passionate. I’ve seen tons of edits on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.”
“It’s been completely superb to see the way it has resonated with audiences everywhere in the world,” he provides. The author-producer places this all the way down to primarily two issues: “An actual starvation for optimistic, feelgood, romantic tales that hasn’t be delivered on, and the household drama side.
“Adriana sits on the middle of the love triangle with Braden and Freddie, however there’s additionally a love triangle with the Russo sisters,” he explains. “I’ve heard so many speak about how that household drama resonates with them, so it’s the fusion of these two issues.”
Norton is effusive about Iacopelli’s supply materials – and the supply materials for her story.
“Once I learn Jennifer’s first novel, not solely have been the characters nice and compelling, however she had constructed the e book on high of the strong basis that got here from Jane Austen. I’m a believer in wanting on the classics, like Shakespeare, Dickens and Austen. These storytelling constructions have stood the check of time – Wuthering Heights is popping out in a matter of days [the Emerald Fennell film releases tomorrow].
“Traditional literature affords us some superb storytelling street maps, and the enjoyable is to place a contemporary twist on it. Jennifer took the Austen world and introduced the world of a crumbling household property right into a crumbling skating dynasty. Over these foundations, I needed to place a compelling drama that would maintain over a number of episodes and seasons.”
Olly Atkins as Freddie O’Connell and Millie Davis as Riley Monroe
Netflix
Olympic flames
A teen drama with romance on the coronary heart sits properly throughout the ongoing young-adult zeitgeist, however one with a romantic middle smack bang in the midst of the most important winter sports activities occasion on the planet is ticking virtually each field a community or streamer would possibly need proper now.
“This was deliberate when it comes to its timing, there’s no query,” says Norton. “As a creator and author, one factor I’m at all times challenged by is the query from commissioners of ‘Why this present and why now?’ Generally, it’s a must to manufacture a solution to fulfill a commissioner’s technique. On this case, I had a really natural reply actually based mostly on a ticking clock.
“Again in autumn of ’24, the reply was, ‘If we greenlight this present at present, Netflix can have a juicy, soapy drama set on the planet of determine skating concurrently the Winter Olympics.’ That was very deliberate on my half and I’ve to present credit score that they noticed the chance.”
Cale Ambrozic as Brayden Elliot and Madelyn Keys as Adriana Russo
Netflix
Determine skating is certainly having a second. Discovering Her Edge‘s dance accomplice on Netflix is Olympics doc collection Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing, whereas the ‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin – who we featured in our pre-Olympics characteristic on breakout stars – continues to wow crowds on the ice in Italy. “The mix of this superb three-part documentary and our present, which is clearly fiction, helps to generate pleasure for the game,” says Norton.
Norton did search to blur the road between fiction and actuality by casting a number of real-life stars. Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, who narrowly missed out on Olympic medals final night time, seem in episode 5 and provides Adriana and Braden some sage recommendation. A former British resident, Norton additionally persuaded Workforce GB 2026 flag bearer Lilah Worry to lend her voice to commentary part alongside determine skating accomplice Lewis Gibson. (Additionally they missed out within the ice dance competitors after Worry made a mistake early of their routine yesterday.)
Elvis Stojko, Canada’s three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist, additionally makes an look as Kevin, a Russo household rival, and ice-skating social media star Alexei Morita, who had a small position in Heated Rivalry, has a cameo.
“I actually needed to populate the present with individuals from the actual world of determine skating,” says Norton.
Meredith Forlenza as Camille St. Denis, Alice Malakhov as Maria Russo and Niko Ceci as Charlie Monroe
Netflix
As for Season 2, Norton is itching to get going and had even begun work on the scripts after ending capturing the primary season in Paris in June final 12 months. He’s giving nothing away concerning the plot, new solid or manufacturing timeline proper now, however notes his writing workforce have been working away over current weeks. As for the leads and current solid, Norton says they have been “over the moon” by the recommission.
What he hopes for is a second second within the public highlight, properly after Milan-Cortina is over. “I at all times attempt to got down to make one thing with a cultural influence and Discovering Her Edge has develop into a part of the cultural dialog,” he says. “You possibly can’t management it, however you attempt to create one thing with characters that individuals are going to fall in love with, and you place it out on the planet and hope individuals interact.”
